This is a revamping of an old painting that had been languishing in a dusty corner of the studio for months. I kind of liked what I’d done but also didn’t because it was unimaginative, looked like something you’d buy as a print on canvas in a generic store, and was frankly pretty boring. It also didn’t feel like me. You have to wonder why and how I painted it!
So. I was a having a Native American moment recently ~ I am intrigued by that culture generally in fact ~ and this is what came of it.
First loads of collage pieces.
Stick ’em down.
Gesso over them.
Pencil in the feathers and use a light blue for the background, which I rubbed back with a cloth.
More detail in the feathers.
Start to add colours. I used coloured pencils and acrylics for this.
More colours.
A Turquoise Phthalo glaze and dirty it up a bit with a stain ink pad.
Boom. Done. It has a really pleasing sheen to it from the glaze, and heaps of texture that hasn’t really shown up in the photo. It feels much more like ‘me’ now. Probably all that turquoise.
Three Feathers
Mixed media on canvas
61 x 30 x 3cm
love it, Tara…and love your process too x
Tara, I just love the transformation! Fabulous color, composition and texture. Yea!!
Thank you so much Lorinda! 🙂
Tara, i was in the absolute perfect state of mind to visit your blog tonight. What gorgeous, uplifting, intelligent, mind warping work!!! i love your stuff. Love your writing. Love the pics you take with each step and how you show us exactly where you are with your own thoughts. You and i would be best buds if we lived closer. Shit, we’re best buds NOW and we’ve never met!! I absolutely LOVE your doodle (the one with the ladder) and those tips you give us to get ourselves out of a rut – fanTASTICO!! Love ya lots girl. xox
Bless you Pauline aka best bud! 😉 Thanks so much for your enthusiasm about my efforts. xx
Lovely post – I always enjoy seeing your process. I always think you are very brave when you gesso over your collage, I think I should give this a go myself as I can feel alot of resistance to doing it! The turqoise glaze is beautiful and it immeditaely gives me a sense of this being “you” when you add in this colour.
Thanks Debbi 🙂 Gessoing over collage is easy; it’s gessoing over things you actually painted that’s a bit more challenging I find sometimes! That’s so sweet what you said about the turquoise being ‘me’. Love that. 😉
This is such a lovely piece and I like that there are three feathers and the details in each one…amazing that there is red and a collage of so many other shapes and designs under all of it…
Tara:
I love Three Feathers. The piece itself is lovely, and I really enjoyed seeing your process. Thanks for sharing!
Robin
Thank you Robin, I’m so glad you enjoyed your visit. 🙂
I saw your artwork on liannewilliam’s blog party link. This piece of work is very beautiful. The process you went through to create it especially, is also interesting,and amazing. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks so much for stopping by Abi! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.